Property 24/10 - 317

Posted: 18 August 2016

Freehold vs ST: Where you get the most bang for your buckWhy freehold property is losing popularity
According to recent research conducted by Absa, full title properties may, one of these days, become an impractical and outdated luxury for most South Africans.

Dawid Malan, Head of Strategic Stakeholder Engagement for Absa Home Loans, says the reasons for preference of sectional title over freehold include, amongst others, pressure on consumers, scarcity of land and lifestyle changes.

Malan says low growth in household income and consumption expenditure with a critically low level of savings, high household debt (at around 77% of income) and consumer confidence still on a downward trend are some of the financial reasons why many buyers can only afford to invest or reside in generally more affordable sectional title homes.More

Selling your B&B guesthouse for a tidy profit
South Africa is one of the world’s fastest-growing tourist destinations and presents an attractive opportunity for entrepreneurs looking to get a foot in the hospitality market.

This is great news for existing B&B or guesthouse owners who are hoping to sell their businesses for a tidy profit. Going about it the right way, however, is essential for good results.

This is according to Schalk van der Merwe, the Rawson Property Group’s Helderberg franchisee, who says selling a guesthouse or B&B is different to selling a regular home.More

Green buildings: Cost savings and employee well-being
As a leading financier and occupier of green buildings in South Africa, Nedbank offers tangible evidence of the sustainable environmental and economic value that such buildings have to offer businesses that include them as an integral component of their sustainability commitments.

That’s according to Howard Rauff, Head of Portfolio and Facilities Management at Nedbank, speaking during the 9th annual Green Building Convention, which Nedbank sponsored. Rauff offered audited evidence of the vital part that green buildings are playing in furthering Nedbank’s reputation as SA’s green and caring bank.

“In 2008, then CEO of Nedbank, Tom Boardman, set a range of climate change reduction and optimisation targets for the group,” Rauff explained, “then in 2009, these targets were incorporated into performance scorecards.”More

Five little known facts tenants need to know
There are often many rules and regulations to consider when you are a tenant, and there may be some that you don’t even realise can affect you.

“It’s important to know what your rights are, as well as your responsibilities,” says Natalie Muller, Western Cape Regional Rentals Manager for Jawitz Properties.

Below are five considerations that may not be as commonly known as they should be:

Cape Town celebrates architectural innovation
The latest design-led innovations in the roll out of the Better Living Challenge will be among numerous architecture events taking place during the Open Design Cape Town festival, which runs from 10 to 21 August.

Architect and Festival Director, Y Tsai, says the architecture events are part of the 12-day festival, which features over 140 events including talks, exhibitions, workshops, tours, activations and interactive experiences that explore how design and innovation can be used to add great value to our daily lives and create a more sustainable future.

The festival takes place in two stages, with events, expos and workshops at Cape Town City Hall from 10 to 16 August and citywide activations from 17 to 21 August.More

Quick value-adding renovations when selling your home
Quantifying the rand value renovations might add to your home is not an exact science, however, homes that are in poor condition or very dated inevitably lead buyers to feel renovations are unavoidable, and in this case there is a high probability that potential buyers will subtract from the asking price.

This is according to Mike Greeff, CEO of Greeff Christies International Real Estate, who says many homes are sold on the strength of their kitchens and bathrooms.

“These are by far the most important rooms in a house on which to focus if would-be sellers are considering renovations prior to listing a property,” says Greeff.More

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